Different vodkas have different flavors and viscosities. Apart from a distiller’s choice of base ingredients and water source, these factors are also influenced by distillation.
If you’re wondering why Grey Goose Vodka is smoother and cleaner than other brands, then it’s worth knowing how many times Grey Goose Vodka is distilled. Here’s what I found!
How Many Times Is Grey Goose Distilled?
To increase the quality of Grey Goose’s vodka and preserve the natural flavors of its ingredients, Grey Goose Vodka is distilled only once. Nonetheless, Grey Goose has 40% ABV and maintains a smooth and neutral profile similar to other vodkas. Moreover, Grey Goose doesn’t believe in multiple distillations because multiple distillations rob the vodka of clean flavors.
If you want to learn more about Grey Goose Vodka’s distillation process, where it is distilled, and what it is distilled from, keep on reading!
Is Grey Goose Distilled?
Just like other vodkas, Grey Goose is distilled, because it wouldn’t be possible to purify the ethanol and reach alcohol by volume or ABV of 40% otherwise.
Skipping the distillation process would mean failing to meet the legal definition of vodka, which classifies it as a neutral spirit with a minimum proof of 80.
Unlike other vodkas, however, Grey Goose is distilled only once because the Grey Goose company doesn’t believe that vodka improves when it is distilled any further.
What Distillery Makes Grey Goose?
Distillerie de la Vallée de l’Oise is a French distillery that is manned by 17 people. While it appears to be a small-scale operation, Distillerie de la Vallée de l’Oise produces the global supply of Grey Goose.
Established in 1997, entrepreneur Sidney Frank founded his distillery just north of Paris in La Vallée de l’Oise. Once the vodka is ready, the vodka is delivered to the bottling plant in Cognac.
Where Is The Grey Goose Distillery?
Grey Goose’s distillery is located in Picardy, France, where the manufacturers have easy access to high-quality winter wheat and spring water.
Picardy, specifically Grey Goose’s distillery called Distillerie de la Vallée de l’Oise, is located directly north of Paris.
What Is Grey Goose Vodka Distilled From?
Grey Goose Vodka is distilled from Picardie winter wheat, and the wheat is sourced from Picardy, France, which is widely recognized as France’s agricultural heartland.
Blé Panifiable Supérieur is winter wheat that serves as Grey Goose’s base ingredient. Interestingly, Blé Panifiable Supérieur is the same wheat used to make the best baked goods in France.
Moreover, Grey Goose gets its water from a 500 feet deep well in Champagne, France, where the water cultivates plenty of calcium, which influences the vodka’s taste.
How Is Grey Goose Distilled?
Grey Goose is distilled once, but that doesn’t make the process any simpler because it takes a long uninterrupted operation to thoroughly distill the fermented wheat and create vodka.
After the wheat is distilled four times within 24 hours, the wheat turns into beer with a low ABV.
Next comes the five-column distillation process that is key to Grey Goose’s singular distillation.
Each of the five columns has a crucial role in purifying the alcohol and fine-tuning the alcohol’s flavor.
In summary, the five columns aim to increase the alcohol’s ABV to 92%, water down the alcohol before removing more of its impurities, strip it of oils, and reduce its methanol.
Moreover, it takes around 4 to 5 days in total to get the wheat prepared and distilled sufficiently so that the vodka can be bottled right afterward.
Is Grey Goose Distilled With Potatoes?
Grey Goose has never and currently does not use potatoes to make vodka because Grey Goose is made entirely with Picardie winter wheat.
Is Grey Goose Distilled From Grapes?
Grey Goose is not distilled from grapes, despite the distillery having access to some of the best grapes in the world.
Instead, Grey Goose chose to make vodka from Picardie winter wheat, which produces fine quality vodka that is crisp and has sweet notes.
Is Grey Goose Pure Vodka?
Grey Goose is not pure vodka, but Grey Goose is pure alcohol.
For liquor to be considered pure vodka, the liquor has to be classified as a rectified spirit that has a neutral flavor profile and a minimum of 95% ABV.
While Grey Goose may not be pure vodka, at one point in the distilling process, Grey Goose became a rectified spirit before it was watered down to bottling proof.
Moreover, Grey Goose is pure alcohol because all traditional vodkas are classified as one.
Due to the distillation process vodkas undergo, vodkas contain no impurities and are therefore considered pure.
Is Grey Goose Smooth?
Grey Goose is described as having a smooth taste and like other wheat vodkas, Grey Goose has fresh citrus and mineral notes.
However, some people contest these observations and believe that Grey Goose tastes more like rubbing alcohol.
Does Grey Goose Have Ethanol?
Grey Goose Vodka contains 40% ABV, specifically ethanol. While the base ingredients for vodkas may vary, vodkas all produce an alcohol called ethanol, which is the type of alcohol shared by every alcoholic drink, from beers to spirits.
What Is So Good About Grey Goose Vodka?
Grey Goose Vodka is reputed to have a smooth mouthfeel and palatable notes. However, many people argue that this belief is just a result of mob mentality.
Some are convinced that Grey Goose doesn’t live up to the hype. Grey Goose is popular mostly because of its excellent marketing and Hollywood product placements.
Is Grey Goose Triple Distilled?
Grey Goose is not triple-distilled because Grey Goose is distilled only once, although this singular operation is meticulous and sufficient to purify the vodka and make Grey Goose 80 proof.
Take a look at our related articles to find out if vodka is made from corn, how big is a fifth of vodka, and what size bottles vodka comes in.
Conclusion
Grey Goose Vodka is a French vodka brand that is distilled no more than once. This is because Grey Goose believes over-distillation will rob the vodka of its flavor.
Moreover, Grey Goose Vodka is made from Picardie winter wheat. Since wheat is a delicate grain, there’s no need to distill it as many times as other base ingredients like potatoes